Drink, eat, and make merry: It’s Ice Bar time in Portland, Maine

Put on your winter woolies instead of the usual night-on-the-town clothes, lace up the insulated Bean boots, instead of the heels, and slide on into Ice Bar, Jan. 27-29, 2011, the annual outdoor social wingding celebrating winter at the Portland Harbor Hotel. It’s a party for a cause, err causes, with proceeds raised from ticket sales supporting three local organizations. Last year $15,000 was raised; this year organizers hope to exceed that amount.

The carved Ice Bar, in the hotel’s outdoor courtyard, includes two martini stations pouring specialty cocktails featuring Swedish Rokk Vodka (those Swedes know something about partying in winter) and one pouring Shipyard Brewery’s brews. Warming the inside is a full bar as well as a DJ and food provided by the Front Room, Grill Room, Corner Room, DennyMike’s ‘Cue Stuff, and Havana South.

Tickets ($15-21 pp) are limited and are available only online; none will be sold at the door. Ice Bar is open 5-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Lodging packages are available and include , 2 tickets to the Ice Bar, 2 drink tickets, and a VIP private Ice Bar preview from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday or Friday night, (Sorry, rooms are already sold out for Saturday, Jan. 29); rates begin at $169.